Winning streak up to five games as Astros beat Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The rebuilding Astros are the hottest team in baseball.

Via a sharp 5-4 victory against the struggling Los Angeles Angels on Sunday during an American League West matchup at Angel Stadium, the Astros improved to 10-7 in their last 17 games and have won an MLB-best five consecutive contests.

The Astros (20-37) took the series from the Angels (25-32) and are 6-3 against Los Angeles this season. The Astros have won three of their last four overall series and six of seven games.

Astros righthander Jordan Lyles recorded his fourth consecutive strong start, throwing 5 2/3 innings of six-hit, two-run ball, striking out five and walking one. The 22-year-old Lyles has allowed just five earned runs in his last 22 2/3 combined innings.

Angels lefthander C.J. Wilson quickly erased the initial two Astros he faced. But an 0-1 four-seam fastball to catcher Carlos Corporan – a reserve who plays about every five days – was blasted to deep left-center field, giving the Astros a 1-0 first-inning lead.

An RBI single to right field by Albert Pujols in the third tied the game at 1.

Carlos Pena’s fifth homer of the season – an opposite-field shot to right field – and a J.D. Martinez RBI single pushed the Astros to a 3-1 advantage. Martinez’s liner to left field scored Brandon Barnes, who smartly tagged up on a long Jose Altuve fly out to left and took third base.

Mark Trumbo’s 13th homer of the year pulled the Angels within 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Astros missed a chance to go up by two in the eighth when Barnes misread a clear double by Altuve off the bat and ended up stuck at third instead of safely across home plate. Angels righthanded reliever Michael Kohn then struck out Corporan and Martinez.

Relievers Travis Blackley and Brad Peacock carried the Astros into the bottom of the eighth. Albert Pujols led off with a double shot down the left-field line and Mark Trumbo was walked on five pitches. But Josh Hamilton swung at Peacock’s first offering, lifting a lazy fly to left-center field, and Howie Kendrick grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

The Astros loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth after a throwing error by Angels third baseman Alberto Callaspo. Matt Dominguez’s soft two-run single to left field made it 5-2 Astros.

With closer Jose Veras having appeared in five of six games entering Sunday, Astros manager Bo Porter stuck with Peacock – a former starter turned long reliever – in the ninth. Callaspo walked to lead off the frame and No. 8 hitter Hank Conger blasted a two-run home run to right-center field that sliced the Astros’ lead to 5-4 with no outs.

Hector Ambriz took over for Peacock. Shorststop Ronny Cedeno barehanded a J.B. Shuck chopper near second base, threw while running, and recorded a smooth out. Erick Aybar grounded out to Altuve. Then Mike Trout fouled out to first baseman Chris Carter.